Fluid transmission



Allg- 19, 1952 J. JAN DAsEK FLUID TRANSMISSION Filed OCb. 29, 1945 Patented Aug. 19, 1952 FLUID TRANSMIS SION Joseph Jandasck, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Bendix Aviation Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a

corporation of Delaware Application October 29, 1945, Serial No. 625,304

. 7 Claims. 1

This invention relates to fluid transmissions and more particularly to control means therefor. Broadly thel invention comprehends manually operative fluid pressure means for coupling the impeller of a fluid torque converter to the driving means for the converter andr fiuidpressure means controlled by the liuid in the circuit of the converter for coupling the turbine ofthe converter to the driving means. Y

An object of the invention is to provide means for control of a :tiuid torque converter including manually operative means for control of the impeller of the converter, and automatically operative means for control of the turbine of the converter.

An objectof the invention is to provide control means for a fluid torque converter having an impeller, a turbine and a reaction member, including manually operative fluid pressure actuatd means for coupling the impeller to a driving means for the converterA and fluid pressure actuated means under control of the reactionA member for coupling the turbine to the driving means. y f

Another object of the invention is to provide a fluid torque converter of compact structure including an impeller, a two-stage turbine and a reaction member and clutches for control of each of these' elements. y v

Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description when taken in connection with the drawings forming a part of this specification vand in which- Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View partly broken away of a fluid torqueconverter embodying the invention; l f I Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view illustrating a valve, and;` f

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary View further illustrating the valve.

Referring to the drawings for more specific details of the invention I6 represents the crank shaft of an internal combustion engine. The shaft has a flange IZ, and a hub I4 suitably secured tothe flange supports a housing I6 having aihub I8 arranged in oppositely disposed relation to the hubr'l4, and suitably secured to rthe hous- Y andifluidipassages 30 and-32 extended throughA 2 the wall of the housing l 6 communicate Awith the chambers 26 and 28. Annular pistons 34and 3S mounted for reciprocation in thevchambers 26 and 28 and suitably retained against rotation have machined faces constituting axially movable clutch elements 38 and 46. The housing I6 has an annular web overhanging the chamber 23 which provides a iixed clutch element-42 for rthe clutch 24 and an annular member suitably supported on the housing in overhanginggrelation to the chamber 26 provides a xed clutch element 44 for the clutch 22. l

A stationary housing 46 for enclosing the housing I6 has a hub 46 rigidly supporting a sleeve 50 extended through the hub I3 into the housing I6 with a suitable bearing interposed between the hub and the sleeve. VThe hub has radial passages 52 and 54 and the sleeve has radial passages 56 andv 58 and a longitudinal channel 66, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear. The hub' 48 alsorhas a flange 62 overhanging the hub I8 of the housing I6, and a fluid seal 64 fitted between the hub andthe flange inhibits seepage of fluid from the housing I 6. The hub 48 also has a bearingsupport `66 for the reception of a bearing 68 in axial alignment with a bearing 70 fitted in the hub'l4 of the housing|6 N '4, A center shaft 12- extended through the vsleeve 66 and housing vI6 is mounted forA rotation on the bearings 68 and lll. --f-he-center shaft' has an axially disposed passage`l4,=th`e purpose of which-will hereinafter appear, and! also `ra radially disposed passage 16. andla circumferential v groove 18 rproviding a communication between the` passage 'I6 and the passage 52 in the hub48; and the passage 52 is adapted to be vconnected to a manually actuated fluid pressure -m'eans,'not shown. The center shaft alsoY hasra circumferential groove Bucommunicating as Vby a'port 82 with a vpassage 84 extended longitudinally inthe shaft.' The shaft has. another circumferential groove 86 communicating asby a' port-88 with the 'passage 84 and also a passage 9U.'- I J- A fluid torque'c'onverter indicated generally at 92 includes a. two-stage turbine 94, and impeller 96 anda reaction member 98, providingin conjunction with one another a fluid circuit IUI);

They two-stage `turbine 'includes a hub' llill. splined to the center shaftf12. fThehub hasta shoulder-,.164 Supporting a "bearing"y 106 'andz a sleeve ma extended'into'the Vnulo-f i4 landline sleeve*y hasfan'j internal ygroove H6 com'.fnunijcat` mg as: 'bla-I1 'peninglll Withasroovee'llld inV theihub providing-a' communication between'the opening and the passage 30. The sleeve also has a radial opening ||6, providing a communication between the passage 90 in the center shaft and a groove ||8 in the hub in direct communication Vwith the passage 32. The hub |02 supports a web |20 having thereon spaced Vanes |22 supporting an inner shroud |24 having arranged thereonspaced `varies |26 supporting an outer shroud |28. The vanes |26 constitute the first stage of the turbine and the vanes |22 constitute the second stage of the turbine. The hub |02 also supports a web |30 carrying a plurality of clutch plates |32 rotatably and axially movable between the clutch plates :38 and 4 4 `,with an axially movable clutch plate interposed.

The impeller 96 includes a hub |34 mounted for rotation on the bearing |06 on the shoulder Y |04 of the turbine. The hub has thereon a web |36 supporting spaced blades |38 which in turn support an inner shroud |40 for cooperation with E the inner lshroud |24 of the turbine. The web |36 also supports a clutch plate |42 rotatable yand a ially -movable between the clutch plates 40 and .4.2.-

-valve indicated generally at |44A includes a sleeve |45 mounted on the stationary sleeve 50. ,'Ihe sleeve has limited angular movement in both directions of rotation .determined by a pin |48 inthe stationary sleeve 50 received by -aslot |50 in .the sleeve |46 and a spring |52 in `the slot |50 yieldinglyresists movement of the sleeve |45 in one direction of rotation and urges movement of the sleeve in the reverse direction. The sleeve `Ulli also has an vL-shaped slot |54 providing a communication between theports 56 and-58 when `the sleeve is in onegposition and also a ,communication between the Aport 56 and the passage 60 lhnthe sleeve is in another position.

reaction member 98 includes a hub |56 @Quilted on the sleeve |46 lfor free rotation in onem direction and held againstrelative rotation the reverse direction as by a roller clutch |58 interposed ,between i.the hub .and the sleeve. and the. hub .Supports web |69 having. .arranged thereon spaced venes |62 supporting an inner Shroud |54.-

lsnanormal Qperation assuming that the driv.- ing shaft |0 and accordingly the housing L6 is rotating at low speed, the manually -actuatediiuid pressuremeans, noiishown, is operated 4to cause movement of Vfluid under pressure through the passage-52, the groove 8, the passages '16, 1.4, 0,theport |;2 and passages ||.4 and y3|) into .the Qhamber 2.8 Causing 4actuation of the Vpiston .3.5-- Wth the resultantapplication of Vtheclutch .24 to. eijotivelylock-.the` impeller, 0.6 to the `.housing 'l Eifer rotation therewith.

lBfotation of the impellerfiresults in energiza- .tlon'of the fluid in the circuit |00 .and the energy of thegfluidis received'on the vanes |26 Vand |22 9i lih flrStand second stages of the turbine, vand alsopn the varies` |62 of the reaction member. This results in `rotation of the turbine 34, and slight rotation Qf the reaction member :98 to a -position where it'sfheld against further rota- .tipri Vin the samev direction .by the clutch |58.

Underthis` condition the sleeve |46 is moved through a slight angle ,tot effectively close the valve |44, and power is-transmitted with torque multiplication to the center shaft 12.

' Upon attaining a s peedlwhere torque multiplication is no longer requiredthe direction 4of fluidflow in vthe circuit |00 changes. n This resultsin reverse movement ofthe reaction member '9B-iard this movement gif `'the Vreaction member releases the clutch |58 and accordingly the sleeve |46, whereupon the sleeve |46 is urged by the spring |52 to move through a slight angle so as to open the valve |44 whereupon uid under pressure ows from the fluid pressure means, not shown, through the passage 54, groove 80, port 82, passage 84, groove 86, port 88, the passage 58, slot |54, passage A56, passages 90, H6, groove ||8 and passage 32 into the cylinder 26 resulting in application of the clutch 22, so as to lock the turbine 94 to the housing 6, and under this condition a one-to-one ratio drive is accomplished.

Upon a decrease in speed to the extent Where torque multiplication is again required, the manuallyactuated fluid `pressure means is again operated so as to apply the clutch 24 and thereby lock Ythe 4impeller -to the housing, whereupon the fluid in the -circuit |00 is again energized and the energy of the fluid is received by the turbine 94 and the reaction member 98. This results in movement of the reaction member to its ,Silationary position, and rotation of the turbine. When the reaction member moves to its stationary position where it is held by the clutch |58, the sleeve |46 is moved through va slight angle .so as to close'the valve |44, whereupon pressure on the fluid in theclutch 22 isreleased and fluid is returned from the cylinder 2,5 of the clutch through the passage32, the groove |8,the passages 90, I i6, and the port 56 and the passage tothe fluid circuitl by way of the clearance b etween -the turbine and the reaction vmember and under this condition power is transmitted from the turbine to the center shaft with` torque muliplication.

While this invention hasbeen described inconnection with certain specific embodiment, `the principle involved is susceptible of numerous other applications that will-readily occur to persons skilled in the art, The invention is, therefore, -to be limited only as indicated by the scope .of ,the appended Claims.

Y Having thus Adescribed l'the various featuresxof the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters VPatent is 1. A transmission comprising driving and driven shafts, a iiuid torque converter on `the driven shaft including an impeller, a turbine and amovable reaction member, means for couplingthe impeller to the driving shaft and means for coupling the turbine under the influence of the reactionmember to the driving shaft.

.2. A transmission comprising dri-ving andidriven shafts, Va fluid torque converter on the driven shaft including an impeller, a turbineand a movable reaction member, fluid pressure actuated means for coupling the impeller to the `driving shaft and fluid pressure actuated means under the-influence of the reactionmember-for coupling the turbine to the driving shaft. Y 3.. Atransmission comprising drivingandzdrivenshafts, a fluid ltorque converter on'the driven shaft including an impeller, a turbine anda movable reaction member, uid pressure actuated means for coupling the Vimpeller to v.the driving shaft-and fluid pressure actuated means under control yof the reaction member for couplingrthe turbine to the driving shaft:

4. A transmission comprising drivinganddrlv.- en shafts, a housing on the driving shaft, enclosing the driven shaft, a fluid torque :converter lin .the housing including a turbine secured `to the driven shaft, lan impeller mounted for rotationon the turbine, a reaction member mounted onfthe Adriven shaft. huid, pressure actuatedmeans for coupling the impeller to the driving shaft, and means under the influence of the reaction member for coupling the turbine to the driving shaft.

5. A transmission comprising a driving element, and an impeller, a turbine and a movable reaction member providing in conjunction with one anothera uid circuit, fluid pressure actuated means for coupling the impeller to the driving element, and fluid pressure actuated means for automatically vcoupling the turbine to the driving element upon movement of the reaction member due to reactance of the fluid in the circuit.

6. A transmission comprising driving and driven shafts, a housing carried by the driving shaft enclosing the driven shaft, a fluid torque converter in the housing including a turbine having a hub secured to the driven shaft, an impeller mounted for free rotation on the hub, and a reaction member mounted for free rotation in one direction and held against rotation in the reverse direction, fluid pressure actuated means for coupling the impeller to the driving shaft, and fluid pressure actuated means controlled by movement of the reaction member for coupling the turbine to the driving shaf t.

7. A transmission comprising driving and driven shafts, a housing carried by the driving shaft enclosing the driven shaft, a uid torque -converter in the housing including a turbine having a hub secured tothe driven shaft, an impeller mounted on the hub for free rotation, and arreaction member mounted for free rotation in one direction and held against rotation in the reverse direction, a iiuid pressure actuated clutch for coupling the impeller to the driving shaft and a fluid pressure actuated clutch under control of the reaction member for coupling the turbine to the driving shaft.

JOSEPH JANDASEK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS I' '2,480,933 J andasek Sept. 6, 1949 

